The site of a former library complex is set to be transformed into retirement homes as the council proceeds with the building's sale. Bromborough Civic Centre was shut down in 2022 due to budget cuts approved that year.
Despite two highly-rated bids for its reopening, the council controversially decided to sell the library in a closed-door meeting in July 2023. Previously valued at £600,000 by the council, the site was listed for sale in 2024 and is now nearing finalisation of its sale to McCarthy and Stone Retirement Lifestyles Ltd. Marcus Shaw, Director of Regeneration and Place, reported that the sale would generate over £500,000 for the local authority.
After receiving eight bids and assessments from property consultants Lambert Smith Hampton, the council agreed to sell to McCarthy and Stone. The deal hinges on detailed planning permission and allows "for further unforeseen deductions which may arise during the planning process".
Currently, Bromborough Civic Centre costs Wirral Council approximately £31,500 annually to maintain, despite being closed.
While McCarthy and Stone have declined to comment on the ongoing process, it is speculated that their plans for Bromborough could mirror other developments put forward by the company. The firm had previously proposed a development off Well Lane in Heswall, which was rejected by Wirral Council, reports .
This proposal promised "high quality" living accommodation with a mix of private sale, part rent, part buy, and rental options, surrounded by "professionally landscaped gardens around the site."
Planning documents for the Heswall development stated: "As with every McCarthy Stone Retirement Living development, a community feel is encouraged with communal spaces and a limited number of apartments, so that residents can get to know their neighbours."
The document further added: "We seek to ensure that all our developments have high-quality communal and private outside space for our residents to enjoy. Particularly during the recent pandemic, this is of paramount importance. Our proposal for Heswall includes landscaped gardens, as well as outdoor seating and improvements to the site boundaries, through new shrub and tree planting."
"Our developments are designed to blend in with their surroundings. We recognise that high quality gardens and landscaping turn a good development into a great one, and we are pleased that many of our schemes have won awards for their outside space."
Bromborough councillor Ruth Molyneux, who was against the sale of the civic centre, remarked that the empty, boarded up building stands as a stark reminder of the area's budget challenges while acknowledging the sale provided "a small but welcome relief for Wirral Council given its dire financial situation but will be less enthusiastically received by the residents of Bromborough."
Cllr Phil Gilchrist, a regular shopper in the village noted the empty building, present for over 50 years, as "a reminder of changed times" and added: "This marks the end of an era. The plans by the new owner have yet to be unveiled. I hope the new homes will meet local needs.
"It is a painful loss that we need to recover from. I remember the civic centre being built. It was one of the places to go to for a whole generation."
Don't miss the latest news and analysis with our regular North West newsletters – sign up here for free
